Business couple invest in tomorrow’s leaders

December 13, 2016

Mr Wong’s son in an F1 car at the NUS Faculty of Engineering

Mr Eugene Wong and Madam Emily Chin apply the same good judgement to work and philanthropy

“Buy low, sell high. This is my mantra,” remarks Mr Eugene Wong (’92), the founder and managing director of Sirius Venture Capital Pte Ltd, and proud alumnus of the National University of Singapore (NUS) School of Business.

Also working in a fast-paced industry that requires strong commercial acumen, Mr Wong’s wife, Mdm Chin (’92), is an oil trader with Shell Singapore.

Together, they made a joint decision to invest in the Emily Chin & Eugene Wong Scholarship at their alma mater, which is also the place they first met.

“The quality of students going to the NUS Business School is critical to its success. We are investing in young people who are academically strong and who will yield not just good results, but also meaningful contributions to society,” Mr Wong explains.

To do his part for the University, he served as adjunct professor teaching venture capital and new venture finance at the School for three years. Mdm Chin was also called upon to serve as a judge for students’ case studies.

“When we joined the Business School, it was not as highly regarded then. Now it is a globally recognised institution. We’ve made a good investment by choosing to study Business and we are proud to be BBA alumni,” Mr Wong shares.

Mdm Chin signed up for a recent donor event for the family, where they had the opportunity to go on a tour of the Advanced Robotics Center at the NUS Faculty of Engineering. They were given a glimpse of how research in robotics impacts productivity and innovation in improving the quality of lives.

Mr Eugene Wong and his family

“I want my boys to be exposed to the latest technology and also to the idea of philanthropy. We are all impressed by how NUS can push the frontiers of research and I feel it is a potential avenue we want to contribute to,” reveals Mdm Chin, who is leading by example by inculcating in her children the values of giving back to society.

Coming from a humble background and also a former scholarship recipient himself, Mr Wong is clearly aware that a scholarship is a valued form of recognition of one’s hard work and a great motivator. With this gift, he hopes they can offer the same kind of help and encouragement to business students today.

Any advice for the students?

“The years in NUS may seem like hardship, but it’s a wonderful journey. I even met my life partner here! Do not just focus on grades as that is not the essence of the NUS experience. Take the opportunity to extend your network beyond your faculty. Enjoy different projects and overseas programmes that build character and life experience,” he adds.